The Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) that administers green certification standards in Florida has recertified Sarasota County as a Florida Green Local Government after it successfully met the sustainability standards established in the FGBC Green Local Government 5-year recertification program.

First certified in September 2008 at the gold level with 47 percent of its 351 applicable points, Sarasota County continued to expand its sustainability strategic planning and performance management actions to earn 59 percent of its 399 applicable points, thus qualifying it for a gold-level designation and making it the second highest scoring local government in the state, surpassed only by the city of Dunedin. [More]

Evernia Place – Top Scoring FGBC Green Certified High-Rise in State

Evernia Place, an 85-unit affordable senior housing project in West Palm Beach, has been certified as a Florida Green High-Rise Residential Building by the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) after it successfully met the sustainability standards established in the FGBC Florida Green High-Rise Residential Building certification program. Evernia Place achieved 65 points of the 50 minimum required score, making it the highest scoring FGBC Green High-Rise project certified to date.

Evernia Place was sited on an infill property in a redevelopment area of the city, which utilized existing infrastructure, eliminating the need for construction of additional roads and public services.
The project performs over 25 percent more efficiently than required by the Florida Energy Code, providing the residents with low energy bills. Each unit is equipped with Energy Star Appliances, energy-efficient lighting and high-efficiency air conditioners.

The cumulative water savings will easily exceed 50 percent over traditional construction through the use of low-flow, highly-efficient interior water fixtures and appliances, plus the incorporation of Florida Friendly Landscaping and soil moisture sensors.

The most impressive part of this project is how Evernia Place weighs all of the concepts of sustainability – putting the residents, the environment, and the economics in balance to provide a great sense of community, easy access to services, and affordability. [More]

ACEEE Comments on Florida's (Pathetic) Energy Policy

Every 5 years, the Florida Public Service Commission is required by the Florida Energy Efficiency Conservation Act to evaluate its energy savings goals and select programs for inclusion in its next 10-year plan. These reviews offer an opportunity for Florida to look back at the past, and forward to the future, and determine just how much energy their programs can save. In recent years, states all over the country have bulked up their energy savings goals, planning for affordable, reliable, clean energy. But Florida seems to be sliding in the opposite direction, as the state’s four primary investor-owned utilities have pushed to significantly scale back their energy savings goals. Highlights from the ACEEE commentary include:

In last year’s State Scorecard, two-thirds of states saved more energy than Florida.

While Florida utilities reported annual savings equivalent to 0.25% of electricity sold, states that truly prioritized energy efficiency saved at least six times as much energy.

A recent ACEEE report finds that energy efficiency programs cost utilities only about three cents per kilowatt-hour, while generating the same amount of electricity from fossil fuels can cost two to three times more.

To protect both consumers and utilities from price fluctuations, utility portfolios should be balanced.

The Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) is a nonprofit 501(C)3 Florida corporation dedicated to improving the built environment. Our mission is to lead and promote sustainability with environmental, economic, and social benefits through regional education and certification programs.

FGBC was conceived and founded in the belief that green building programs will be most successful if there are clear and meaningful principles on which "green" qualification and marketing are based. We are a membership-based organization governed by a Board of Directors and corporate officers who are elected by the general membership.

The FGBC is continually finding new and innovative ways to educate builders, developers, local governments, and consumers about how to achieve a healthier, more environmentally sustainable future.

The purposes of the Florida Green Building Coalition are:

To administer certification programs based upon the green building standards

To award its certification mark to qualified projects

To educate the general public, businesses, institutional and governmental bodies of the long term benefits of sustainable development and green building practices

To encourage housing affordability by increasing building sustainability

To stimulate statewide acquaintance and fellowship among members and others interested in green building practices

To provide opportunities for members and other interested parties to increase their knowledge of green building practices.

Awards
2004 - Sustainable Florida 'Best Practices' Award
2013 - American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) Exemplary Water-Energy Program